Chapter 105 Ajin Mountains(1/2)
Growing up, Su Xiaofan rarely left Luochuan City. The farthest place he went to in his life was Yanjing.
Su Xiaofan, who only had a bicycle before, could not even drive a car, so everything on the road was a new experience for him.
After driving on the highway for more than ten hours and entering Daqing Province, the number of vehicles has obviously decreased a lot, and the trees on both sides of the road have become sparse.
However, the sky above his head was getting bluer, and a few white clouds floated by, reflecting on the lake in the distance, creating a scene like an oil painting, which made Su Xiaofan feel relaxed and happy.
Su Xiaofan planned to have a long trip when he came back, so he drove directly into DJI Province without much parking on the road.
Entering Dajiang Province, the scenery suddenly changes again. The endless desert is like the sea, with yellow sand everywhere, giving people an extremely desolate feeling.
The road is often covered with yellow sand. If it weren't for the Gobi on the other side, it would be easy to get lost in this desert.
Su Xiaofan was going to Qianghuang County, which was actually not far from Daqing Province. In order to see the Gobi Desert, Su Xiaofan took a detour and did not come in from the junction of Daqing Province and Qianghuang County.
The desolation of the desert is the kind of desolation that makes people feel desolate in their hearts.
Not only is it lifeless at first sight, but as time goes by, even the journey becomes lonely, making people have the urge to open the car window and call out loudly.
Su Xiaofan naturally would not suppress his inner impulse, so when he opened the window, he was fed a mouthful of yellow sand.
The little tiger cat really likes this environment.
When Su Xiaofan occasionally parked his car, he would get into the sand or the gravel of the Gobi. When he came out, he would often bring some surprises to Su Xiaofan.
It may be that there is hatred in the blood. Whether it is a sand snake that is very similar in color to yellow sand, or a highly poisonous desert cobra, they are unable to fight back under the sharp claws of the little tiger cat.
Duobao is not picky about food at all and is always content with the prey he kills.
Su Xiaofan did not stop Duobao's behavior.
In his opinion, city life has suppressed the nature of tiger cats. Su Xiaofan did not impose any restrictions on Duobao except not to hurt people.
As if honing his hunting skills, Duobao hunted larger and larger prey, from snakes to lizards, from hares to foxes.
Su Xiaofan discovered that Duobao was already larger than an ordinary domestic cat at this time. Its body had grown to about fifty centimeters, but it was still half smaller than its mother.
But the sharp claws hidden in Duobao's thick fleshy foot pads are more than ten centimeters long. When extended, they are like sharp daggers, briskly slicing across the prey's throat.
Fortunately, just when Duobao began to harm the wild donkeys in the Gobi, Su Xiaofan's car also drove out of the Gobi and arrived at Qianghuang County.
Located on the edge of the Karama Desert, Qianghuang County seems to have been infected by the desert. The colors are a bit monotonous, and the architectural style in the city is also different from the city where Su Xiaofan lives.
After dialing the phone number given by Tong Dongjie, Su Xiaofan made an appointment with the person on the phone at a meeting place.
"Mr. Su, my name is Harik, and I am the branch manager of Yanjing in Dajiang Province. The company arranged for me to pick you up. This is Batur, my colleague..."
At the entrance of a five-story hotel, Su Xiaofan met the people who came to greet him.
The other person is a middle-aged man in his forties, with a high nose, and the pupils of his eyes do not seem to be black. He should be a native of DJI Province.
Following Harrick was a young man in his twenties, not tall but very strong, and he looked like a local.
"Hello, Uncle Harik, Batur, I'm sorry to trouble you this time."
Su Xiaofan took out two boxes of wine from the trunk and said, "This is a local wine produced in our area. It is not very famous and has a high alcohol content. Let's give it to Uncle Harlick to try."
Su Xiaofan lacked experience in traveling abroad, but Zheng Dagang was a veteran. After knowing that he was going to DJI, Zheng Dagang went to the winery in Luochuan and bought him seven or eight boxes of highly undiluted puree wine.
In Zheng Dagang's words, rely on your parents at home and rely on your friends when going out.
Although someone made arrangements for Su Xiaofan's trip, it's not surprising that there are so many people. Being able to make good friends with the locals will definitely be helpful to Su Xiaofan's trip.
"Thank you, my friend, we all like to drink high alcohol here."
Sure enough, after Su Xiaofan took out the wine, Harik's attitude suddenly changed, "Su, would you like to wash up and rest first, or go to eat first? I have already opened the hotel and made arrangements for the restaurant!"
Halik didn't care about the importance of the gift, but about Su Xiaofan's attitude.
He came all the way from the capital of Dajiang Province to receive him because of his work, but after gaining Su Xiaofan's respect, he regarded Su Xiaofan as a friend.
"Let's wash up first. I drank a lot of sand along the way."
Su Xiaofan was not polite, and immediately put on a backpack with a change of clothes, called Duobao, and followed Ha Lik into the hotel.
The appearance of the little tiger cat made Halik and Batur stare a few more times. They had seen many people traveling with pet dogs, but Su Xiaofan was the first to bring a cat.
Su Xiaofan took the card and went upstairs, while Harik and Batur were waiting for him in the hotel lobby.
Without keeping the people below waiting any longer, Su Xiaofan simply took a shower and changed clothes before going downstairs.
Qianghuang County is not big, and the hotel where Su Xiaofan stayed is the most prosperous part of the county, so it is not far from places to eat, just a few minutes' walk away.
Su Xiaofan still carried a bag, but it contained many treasures. It is very common to walk dogs in the city, but if you walk a cat, it might attract onlookers.
"Su, this is our local ethnic hotel. I don't want a private room because the private room doesn't show the characteristics of the hotel."
After entering the hotel, Harik asked for a booth with four seats and introduced to Su Xiaofan: "When there are more people, there will be a song and dance performance."
"Thank you, Uncle Harrick, I'm going to try the wine I brought later."
Before Su Xiaofan left, he unpacked a box of wine from the car and brought four bottles over. He was responsible for serving wine when others were treating guests. This was Brother Gang's special instruction to him.
What Halik ordered were all local specialties, which were large pieces of meat and large bowls of wine. Su Xiaofan's temper was matched, and the atmosphere at the wine table was very lively.
Both Halik and Batur were surprised by the meat-eating Duobao, but they didn't say much and focused on the wine.
"Su, I heard that you came here this time to look for meteorites?"
After a bottle of wine, Ha Li Ke and Su Xiaofan also became familiar with each other.
"Yes, but I'm looking for a very rare meteorite."
Su Xiaofan nodded, this was his purpose this time, there was no need to hide it.
"Then I have a suggestion for you."
Harik thought for a moment and said: "Many meteorites fall in Dajiang Province every year, half of them in places like the Gobi Desert.
If they are detected by relevant departments, they will send people to pick them up. Even if there are any missing ones, they will be picked up by meteorite hunters. It is very difficult to find meteorites there."
Su Xiaofan nodded, knowing that Ha Liq hadn't finished speaking yet.
"There is another place where a lot of meteorites have fallen, but no one will collect the meteorites that fell there, and meteorite hunters will not go there either."
Ha Li Ke is engaged in tourism development work in Dajiang Province. It can be said that no one is more familiar with the mountains and rivers of Dajiang Province than him.
"That place is the Ajin Mountains. Because of the high altitude and cold climate, even if meteorites are detected falling, the relevant departments will not go there..."
Halik introduced the situation of the Ajin Mountains to Su Xiaofan.
The Ajin Mountains start in the southeast of Qianghuang County and extend to the junction of Daqing Province and the Kunlun Mountains. The average height is 3,000 to 4,000 meters. But the highest peak is 6,161 meters high.
The Ajin Mountains are dry and rainless, with long and cold winters and very short summers. Snow and ice usually begin in mid-September, and the ice and snow period lasts for nine months. Even if we go up there now, the night temperature is still below zero.
"Actually, there are a lot of meteorites falling in the uninhabited land of Rob, but that place is controlled and no one is allowed to enter it now."
Harrick mentioned another place name. According to him, although Rob is very famous and is called the place of death, it is actually safer than the Ajin Mountains.
"Control? There should be a space crack." Hearing Halik's words, Su Xiaofan understood clearly. He remembered hearing his master say that there was a medium-to-large space crack in that place.
"Let's go to the Ajin Mountains. Uncle Harrick, can you provide me with a map?"
Su Xiaofan settled down. With his current physique, as long as he did not encounter an extremely harsh natural environment like an avalanche, Su Xiaofan felt that there would not be a big problem.
"It's useless to have a map of that place."
Harrick shook his head and said: "A compass will lose its sense of direction there. Only people who are familiar with it can enter and exit safely, but it is also easy to encounter danger."
"Aka, I'll go with Su!"
Batur, who had been drinking with his head down and not talking much, suddenly raised his head and said: "I have been there, and I have been to the most dangerous Devil's Valley. I can bring Su out."
"Well, don't go too deep. The danger is not great, but you must not go to Devil's Valley."
Harik nodded and said to Su Xiaofan: "Batur is the son of my good brother. They used to live at the junction of the Arjin Mountains and the Kunlun Mountains. Later, something happened to my brother in Devil's Valley, and Batur came out.
Worked with me."
"Huh? What's going on? Are there really devils in Devil's Valley?"
Su Xiaofan was a little curious. He had read an introduction to Devil's Valley on the Internet and knew that it was regarded by the locals as a forbidden area with devils. It was full of a terrifying atmosphere and there were many mysterious legends about "devils" circulating in the local area.
"My father chased a group of sheep that entered Devil's Valley and never came out." There was not much sadness on Batur's face. People mistakenly entered Devil's Valley every year, but his father had bad luck.
"Perhaps there is another place with space cracks." Su Xiaofan thought to himself in his heart.
"Batur, I will pay you according to the tour guide's highest remuneration." Since the other party is willing to accompany him on the adventure, Su Xiaofan will naturally not be stingy with some money.
"Su, no need, our company will pay Batur's expenses."
"Su, you are a friend, I don't charge you." Batur's Chinese is average, which is why he doesn't speak much.
"Okay, let's have a night's rest and set off early tomorrow morning." Su Xiaofan didn't say much. Sometimes you don't have to pay money to be rewarded, it depends on what Batur needs.
After discussing the matter, the atmosphere at the wine table became more and more lively. Four bottles of wine were drank by three people, and they also watched a national performance with singing and dancing.
…
"Batur, are you driving too?"
Early the next morning, Su Xiaofan looked at Batur driving an off-road vehicle in front of the hotel and was stunned for a moment. He originally wanted to drive his own car to the Arjin Mountains.
"Two cars are safer. If one of them breaks down, the other car can ensure your escape." Halik, who came to see her off, explained to Su Xiaofan.
To be continued...